A Monkey and a Man

It is said that humans are largely controlled by emotions while animals are generally ruled by instinct. Then is it possible for a monkey and a man to form a deep-felt friendship based on mutual appreciation, trust and respect?

A Chance Meeting

One day in March five years ago, in 2009, Chinese villager Xiao, a native of Mayang River Nature Reserve in China’s Guizhou province, saw a Francois’ left monkey caught in a wild pig trap. Knowing it belongs to a protected wildlife species, he freed the poor creature and brought it home to take care of its injured leg.

The monkey had no objection for Xiao to apply meshed medicinal herbs on its wound, but refused to eat any food given by the man, albeit it appeared to be terribly hungry. Seemingly this is a monkey with a stronger willpower and sense of self-discipline.

It was until Xiao took a bite of his apple, showing his guest it was poison free, the monkey cautiously picked up an apple and tentatively tasted the fruit.

Since then, a mutual trust established between the monkey and the man.

A Separation

Four months later, summer arrived and wild fruits were all ripe, Xiao decided it was time to send the monkey back to the wilderness.

He took his tailed friend to a deep mountain and gestured the monkey to go. It went, but before doing so, the monkey stared at the man for a lengthy period as if wanted to memorise his face. And it kept turning its head looking at Xiao when it slowly strode away.

A Reunion

Five years passed. One morning in late November 2014, when Xiao opened his door, he found seven monkeys squatting in his front yard, and an old monkey gazed at him intently. At that point Xiao realized it was his tailed friend coming back with his new family.

An excited Xiao dashed forward, a monkey and a man hugged each other with emotion. What a reunion scene!

The man and his monkey friends

Since then, Xiao has became the supreme leader of the 800-member Francois’ left monkey kingdom in Mayang River Reserve Park, which is believed to be the home to the biggest Francois’ left monkey community in the world.

Whenever the supreme human leader summons his tailed friend, the monkey king Lao Hei (Old Black), by calling out “Lao Hei”, the king and his subjects would spring to his side, to shake hands with him, to receive sweep totatos distributed by him, or just to take phones with him.

A Struggle

Francois’ left monkey, also known as Francois’ langur or Tonkin left monkey, is a lutung species surviving in subtropical areas, mainly in south-western China and north-eastern Vietnam, with primary settlements found in Mayang River in Guizhou province, as well as in Nonggang and Fusui Nature Reserves in Guangxi province.

The Francois’ Left Monkey community

These monkeys are social animals living in extended families, each with members around half a dozen to two dozen. They also have fixed dwellings, normally in a limestone cave high up the cliff face in the karst regions, a topography that is rather common in China’s Guizhou and Guangxi provinces. Each day when dusk falls, the head of the family is the first to enter the cave to conduct a security assessment. Only when the leader is convinced everything is fine just like the previous day, the rest will be allowed to step in in an orderly fashion, with pregnant and babysitting female monkeys at the end of the queue.

So this is what they do: they leap between tree tops during the day like kung fu masters, and sleep on cliffs at the night like hermits. When they need to drink, instead of going down to river or stream, they search for dew on plant foliage – plain grounds are just too dangerous for these peace loving vegetarians. The terrible lessons that Lao Hei and Lao Hei’s ancestors learned have imprinted deep in their DNA.

But even so, their populations decline rapidly in the past 30 years since China’s “reform & open up” began that has nurtured a culture of greed in Chinese society. As the government urges people to get rich fast, many are willing to do anything to make quick cash with no regard to laws or moral standards. Most Francois’ left monkeys were hunted down by poachers for their fur and bones. In Guangxi province, for instance, there has been an estimated 90% decline in numbers since the 1980s.

15 comments

I loved reading this story. The bond between humans and animals is just amazing. I have a dog and I love the bond that I have with her. It’s like we speak an unspoken language but both understand and love each other. I love that the monkey finally trusted the man once he saw him eat the apple. Then to come back with his family years later is so sweet! I hope these monkeys stay out of harms way. Great story.

What an interesting story. I have never heard of the Francois left monkey. Obviously by this monkey’s action they are highly intelligent. Who would think that a monkey would be afraid of the fruit being poisoned. Also to the credit of the Chinese villager Xiao how did he figure that one out.

It is too bad that this monkey’s population is decreasing due to the greed of the people. Making quick cash at the expense of an entire species is just not right.

Unfortunately this is not the only animal suffering this plight. Elephants are being killed for their tusks and rhinos are being butchered for their horns. When will it end?

I just saw a photo of three giant elephants lying on the ground with their head missing – obviously being chopped off – in a short distance several men holding the guns smiling. The scene is so gruesome to watch.

A great and touching story. But of course like most stories about the bond between a human and a particular animal, there’s a touch of sadness toward the end. We are responsible for the care of the creatures on this earth, and will most certainly be judged in one way or the other concerning the part we play in an extinction or anything of the like.
Thank you for the great story and keep up the good work!
Brian

Pretty! This is a very touching story about a man and a monkey. We people can live peacefully with other animals, if we treat them well. I believe many of them are as self-aware as we humans. Many thanks for sharing this lovely story.